Angel
by The.Missus.Malfoy
Summary: This is a rewrite of my previous story, Angel. Can Draco step up and save the one thing that gives his life true meaning? Or will he lose Angelique before he even has her?
1. Missed the Train

I stared my alarm clock in the face at 11:01 in the morning on September first. If I had any tears left to cry that morning, they would have been shed. My pillow would have been soaked and my body would have been trembling. Instead, my tear ducts were empty - my body did not move an inch. I did not dare make even the tiniest whimper.

I missed the train that year. I missed the train that held promises of something better than the miserable, pathetic existence I live out in the Muggle world. I missed the Hogwarts Express. How on earth was I supposed to get to school now? Was I stuck? I couldn't be stuck. My lip quivered. I couldn't stay here for the _entire_ school year. My gaze darted towards my door. Thank heavens, it was shut tightly.

"Oliver?" I called out hesitantly. No reply. "Oliver… c'mere Ollie," I let my voice raise the slightest bit. My owl's wings batted against the door to my wardrobe frantically. Oh, yeah. I put him in there last night so that Mitch wouldn't hurt him. I pushed myself up from the mattress beneath me with a groan and a sharp intake of air. I squeezed my eyes shut. Breathing just wasn't working for me.

Oliver squawked from the wardrobe as I gingerly got out of bed. Every inch of my body ached. Even worse - every inch of it felt defiled, disgusting. "Hush now, ickle Oliver," I tried to soothe the bird as I made my way over to him. I pulled the wardrobe door open. My legs gave out. I collapsed on the floor with my back against the wood. Well, this wasn't so bad, I suppose. Except… "Oh, rubbish!"

A small mass of gray feathers tore around my room, staying as close to the ceiling as possible. Oliver couldn't have learned his survival tactics from me, that's for sure. "Oliver!" I hissed his name this time. "My parchment and quill, please?" My owl dove towards my bed; he somehow managed to land on his feet. He made a noise that almost sounded like a harrumph. I glared and pointed towards the desk. I did not need attitude from my bird.

Oliver flew to the desk and perched on it, making more noises at me. I sighed. I was going to have to get up.

After several minutes of gritting my teeth against the horrible aching that reached parts of me I never knew could feel pain, I was finally leaning against the desk. I grabbed my quill scribbled on it as quickly as possible:

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_Because of the situation with my step-father, I was unable to make it to King's Cross Station this morning. Is there anything you can do to get me out of here? You know how things are and I just can't stay here for the rest of term, or even until Christmas. I could really use your help._

_-Angelique_

I rummaged through the drawers in my desk until finally finding a bit of twine that was just big enough. I rolled that piece of parchment up and tied it to Oliver's leg. "Take this to Dumbledore," I instructed the bird sternly. Oliver could be a troublemaker (never say birds don't have personalities; I'd have to show you what he's like) so, for good measure, I added, "This is urgent."

I looked after Oliver as he took off out my window. If anyone could help me, it would be Dumbledore. I mean, I can't have been the first student to miss the train by accident. Hell, just a couple years ago Harry Potter and Ron Weasley missed it… and then ran the Weasley's car into the Whomping Willow. Maybe that wasn't such a great example.

Once Oliver had disappeared from my line of sight, I carefully shuffled back to my bed. I almost laid down, but then I realized that if Dumbledore was going to get me out of this mess, I was in desperate need of a shower. I found an old pair of jeans and a worn t-shirt from my hamper (maybe I'm a little backwards in keeping my clean clothes in my hamper, but I don't care) and forced my slow-moving joints to get me down the hall.

I must have spent a good hour and a half or longer cleaning up. At least another hour or two was spent putting on my make-up _perfectly, _and making myself smell really good and feel really soft. The steaming hot water really loosened everything up. Much of my pain had dissipated by the time I was finished with my shower. As I was drying my hair (I have to dry my hair last. I just have to), I heard knuckles strike the wood of the front door. I froze. All was silent. And then, knuckles rapping on the door again. My mother's muffled voice grumbling about something or other. The door creaks. A man's voice? Who the -

"Angelique!" My mother shrieked.

I poked my head out of the bathroom door and put on my honor-student-who-cleans-the-house-and-makes-mummy-breakfast-in-bed voice, "Just one minute, Mum!"

"Somebody's here for you," she shrieked again. She must still be hung over or high or something, because she never lets me see anyone or anything that comes to the house for me. If she knew Oliver was a courier in the wizarding world, she probably would have smothered him by now. So, I finished dressing and hurried for the stairs before she could change her mind. I left the towel wrapped around my head because, honestly, I wasn't even thinking about who the hell could be at the front door, waiting for me. I almost tripped down the stairs in my rush, though. And when I looked up, it was right into a pair of kind, blue eyes that were peering at me from behind half-moon glasses.

"D-Dumbledore?" I stammered. One hand immediately grasped the towel on my head, but instead of doing anything like, I dunno, _taking it off_, I just stood there like an idiot with my hand on my head. "I mean, uh, Professor Dumbledore. What are you doing here?"

I whipped my head around in search of my step-monster. A felt a hand on my shoulder that made me whirl back around towards the Headmaster. The Headmaster! Standing in my living room! I felt the heat in my face as a blush crept up. My living room looked horrible… Mum had left trash and cans and bottles and god-knows-what else all over the place. And her husband was no better. This was no condition in which to entertain the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! "I'm sorry about the mess," I mumbled and lowered my head.

"It's quite all right. You are in need of my assistance?" he asked me. I swear his eyes were twinkling. I don't know how though, with how dumpy this god-forsaken house is.

"Uh, yes… sir," I fumbled for my words. This was not at all what I was expecting. Maybe somebody else. On a broomstick. Or something. But not the freakin' Headmaster himself!

"Come with me," he offered gently, holding out his arm. I grabbed hold of it and he led me outside. As we walked, he was speaking softly. I couldn't tell if he was actually speaking to me or if he was just muttering to himself. This was all so unreal that I did not even bother trying to listen to what the old man was saying. Realizing the towel was still on my head, I snatched it off. Dumbledore pulled me into the alleyway beside some crappy apartment building down the street from my house.

"Professor Dumbledore, what are you doing?" I finally asked.

"We are going to Apparate. Hold on tightly, Angelique." I had so many questions, but my mouth did not want to work anymore. I held on to Dumbledore's arm as tightly as I could. The alley disappeared from sight. It felt like my body was being pushed on from every direction and every angle possible. The added pressure brought the aching back and the pain made me lightheaded. When everything suddenly stopped, and I saw that I was a few hundred yards or something like that away from Hogwarts, I was shocked I hadn't passed out.

My head was still light, though, and everything was spinning. Before I knew it, I was on all fours heaving out what little - if there was anything at all - was left in my stomach from my sometime-after-midnight snack (the supposed reason for my punishment).

Dumbledore just stood by and waited for my body to calm itself. When I finally stood, he rubbed my back in what I assumed was an attempt at comfort. I did not want anyone touching me, though. I felt gross again - even worse than before, if that was possible. The Headmaster said something about my trunk of school stuff that I could not focus on long enough to process, and then he escorted me to the castle. It was just starting to get dark out.

I was the first student at Hogwarts on September first, and I would be the only student who was curled up in the middle of her four-poster bed in the dormitories beneath the Hufflepuff common room instead of at dinner.


	2. Classes Begin

"Is she dead?"

"No, I don't think so, Hannah," I heard the voice of the closest thing I had to a best friend - Susan Bones - say.

"Are you sure?" Hannah persisted.

"I don't think Dumbledore would leave a cor- Don't touch her!" And Susan saves the day! I tried not to smile. I was supposed to be sleeping.

"Why the bloody hell not?"

"Do you want people pokin' and proddin' at you while you're trying to sleep?"

"I suppose not."

"Well, leave her be then! I heard Ernie was looking for you anyway."

"Yeah, I might as well see what he's up to."

I heard Hannah leave the dormitories. The mattress near the end of my bed sunk down a little and I felt a hand touch my calf gently. "All right, you can stop faking now."

I couldn't help but smile that time. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I stretched out my arms and arched my back. "I really was asleep until Hannah started talking."

"I know, but you're a horrid faker."

I laughed and pushed Susan gently, "Oh, shut up!"

She laughed with me, shaking her head. "It's the truth." Once we had finished laughing and wiping the tears from the corners of our eyes, she finally asked the one question I was dreading: "So, what's going on, Angelique?"

Every muscle in my body tensed as anxiety fluttered around in my chest. "I, uh… what do you mean?"

"You missed the train, Ang. You stayed up here and slept through dinner! What's going on with you? Are you sick? Should I be more worried, less worried, what? There's something up with my best friend, and I don't know what to make of it." I stayed quiet. What could I say to that? There was no way I could tell her what had really happened. The only outside person who knew anything about it was Dumbledore! My mother didn't even know (through no fault of mine, of course; she just refused to listen)! "And what in the world happened to your lip? Merlin! Did you get into a fight?"

"My lip?" I hadn't even noticed anything wrong with my lip at all today. I touched my lip gingerly, felt along it. It was bloody swollen! Of everything that could have happened - of everywhere he could have hit me - he just _had_ to give me a fat lip.

"Well?"

"I… I can't tell you what happened."

"Why not?"

"I'm not ready to." I lowered my head and stared at my hands. I really needed to learn how to fight back. I turned my hands over and sighed. I really needed a manicure. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Susan said. She touched my upper arm gently. I could always count on her. It kind of made me feel bad; Susan always had an ear or a shoulder, but I always refused it. I couldn't bring myself to unload on her. I mean, what if the things I said changed how she thought about me? Susan was my best friend - and my only friend. I just couldn't get close to people. Susan was the only person I found I could really be myself with, because she didn't seem to judge me. Hell, she was the only person who thought I was hilarious when I was actually trying to be hilarious. "I'll be here when you are ready."

"Thanks." Susan hugged me before getting up and crossing the room to her own bed.

"I have to get some sleep before classes tomorrow."

"I know. Sleep well, Bones."

"Yeah, you too, Rivera." I didn't tell Susan that I had been asleep all afternoon. It was probably better that way, because I feel like she would have judged me for falling right back asleep. I dunno, I guess I was just paranoid about my every move being scrutinized. Living with someone like Mitch, you learn that people can be unpredictable. You never know just what will set someone off.

So, anyway, I did fall right back asleep. Can you blame me, though? I was utterly exhausted.

* * *

"Who is _she?"_ I asked Susan as we sat down for breakfast in the Great Hall the next morning. I smoothed my hair down, watching the unfamiliar woman who was sitting at the professors' table.

"Who?"

"Her!" I pointed to the pudgy woman dressed in all pink. What an annoying color. She was talking to some of the other professors. Each time her mouth stopped moving, she got this smug little look on her face; it was as if she was silent mocking everyone. It seemed like she thought she owned the place.

"Oh, that's Dolores Umbridge."

"What's she up there for?"

"She's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Susan answered. She took a bite out of a blueberry muffin. "The ministry thought they needed to interfere." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Susan lost her faith in the ministry more and more every day. Maybe if Cedric hadn't died, things would be different. Cedric _did _die, though. The Minister of Magic decided that this whole thing with You-Know-Who being back was poppycock. He's wrong. I saw Harry crying over Cedric's body at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. You-Know-Who most certainly is back, and stupid Fudge won't get that through his thick skull. "I just don't know about this, Ang. Something's up."

I shrugged, grabbing some toast. I definitely wasn't going to be teacher's pet to the Ministry's hound, but I figured she deserved as much of a chance as anybody. "Why don't we just wait until Defense Against the Dark Arts to see what she's like?" I bit into my toast and gave my friend a little smile.

"Yeah, okay," Susan said with a sigh. When she didn't like something, she just didn't like it. She was usually a pretty good judge of character, too. I played with the schedule in front of me for a few moments. We had Umbridge's class that day, with the Ravenclaws, right after Lunch. Perfect.

I looked back up at the professors' table. When she didn't look smug, Umbridge look kind of mean. I really was not looking forward to having class with her. And, of course, she just had to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, didn't she? This year was going to be rather dull, I could feel it. Then again, could any teacher top Mad-Eye Moody - oh wait.

Was that even Moody? I had heard rumors at the end of term last year that Mad-Eye Moody wasn't really Moody and that we were actually being taught by a Death Eater. If anybody confirmed or denied the rumors, I hadn't been paying attention. I considered asking Susan, but that was such old news that she would probably just look at me real funny and shrug.

I sighed and looked at the food in front of me. The toast was too bland for me, but I didn't feel like putting jam on it. Jam just didn't sound too good that morning. There were muffins, of course. And… ooh, grapefruit. I got some pumpkin juice and decided on a banana nut muffin. "Hey, Ang," Susan said, just as I was biting into my muffin.

"Hm?"

"Hannah wants me to walk up to the greenhouses with her. Is it okay if I leave now, or do you want me to wait for you?"

"Go on ahead, Suz." I smiled. Hannah was probably a better friend to Susan than I was anyway. They talked a lot. But I think Hannah was a bit more gossipy, you know? Her and I never really got along. She was kind of nosey, too. Susan smiled back and got up from the table.

I took my time finishing breakfast, since I still had plenty of time until Herbology started. I don't know why Hannah thought she had to be the first person to get to class. It was kind of weird, actually. I mean, it was Herbology. How interested could you be in that kind of thing? Then again, look at Neville Longbottom. He really seemed to like Herbology a lot, too. Well, he knew a lot about the sort of thing that we learned in that class. I was halfway through a second muffin when I realized I needed to grab my books for Herbology and Transfiguration.

Muffin still in hand, I rushed out of the Great Hall and towards the Hufflepuff common room, thanking my lucky stars that it was closer to the dungeons than to Gryffindor tower. After I grabbed my books, I stopped in the nearest bathroom to make sure my make-up looked all right. I stared at my lip in the mirror and pouted at my reflection. It was still a little swollen. I probably should have tried to find some ice or something last night when Susan pointed it out. When I had finally stopped pouting at myself, I realized I only had ten minutes until class.

I hurried into the Entrance Hall. Unfortunately, in my careless rush, I hadn't been paying much attention. I slammed right into someone. I was filled with dread before my bottom even hit the ground because I had seen green. "WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE BLOODY GOING, YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD?" Pansy Parkinson shrieked in annoyance. I opened my eyes (I must have squeezed them shut when I fell without realizing it), and looked at the other girl. Oops. "Well, help me up, Draco!" Pansy hissed when Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle just stared at the two of us, trying not to snicker. Draco obliged, him and the other two boys falling silent at her glare. Draco wasn't as scared of her as Crabbe and Goyle were, but he must not have wanted to get on her bad side so early in the year.

"Sorry," I said softly. I weakly managed to get to my feet. I really didn't need this today. Maybe one day later in the school year - when the bruises weren't still so fresh that they sent small shocks and ripples of pain through my body.

Pansy harrumphed and glared at me. "Bloody right, you're sorry."

I walked passed them, eager to just get to Herbology already. I honestly did not even have the time to deal with Pansy's attitude. I glanced at Draco for just a second. I just couldn't help myself. What? Haven't you seen that boy? Sure, he was a little self-centered and maybe his heart wasn't exactly in the right place, but I could appreciate his physically appealing aspects. His gray eyes caught mine, though, and that unnerved me a little. Wasn't I just a filthy mudblood to him, too?

There was something in the look that he gave me - something I couldn't quite place - that gave me chills more intense than I had ever experienced. I could barely suppress the shiver that nearly overcame my body.

Draco smirked and I dropped my eyes. Pansy was already several feet away from him and his two goons. She snapped her fingers in annoyance. "Get a move on, already!"

Draco cocked an eyebrow at her and narrowed his eyes. "Just 'cause we're friends doesn't mean you can bloody order me around," he said to her as Crabbe and Goyle wasted no time appeasing her. They might have given in to her whims, but Malfoy was a stronger man than that, wasn't he? I shook off the fantastic wanderings of my mind before they could begin. Draco was not at all what I wanted in a boyfriend. He was just nice to look at. I was out of there and on the path to the greenhouses before I could be a witness to a temper tantrum - Parkinson style.


	3. The Mudblood Mummy Doesn't Love

Now, I'll be the first to tell you that one of the most boring things in the world are magical plants. And maybe you agree with me - maybe you don't. Sure, the Mandrakes are kind of cool, with how the scream and stuff; I almost wish I could actually listen to the screams and see what they sound like, but, you know, that's a bad idea. There are a few other really cool plants (mostly the violent ones), too, but mostly I couldn't care less what combination of this magical plant and that magical plant did whatever.

That said, I'm sure you can guess that I didn't paying much attention at all to Sprout's first lecture of the year; on the importance of our O.W.L.s. Tests had never really been a problem for me and, anyway, I was too busy thinking. I did not think I could return home. Mitch was getting more and more out of control. I don't even know why in the world my mom married him. I sighed, playing with my quill while Sprout rattled on about whatever. Mom hadn't always been like this - an addict. I have an old picture in my trunk of her and I from when she was sober all the time. We were happy. Maybe my dad wasn't around, but neither of us really needed him.

Maybe my mom just had bad luck with men. I hoped that wasn't hereditary. I mean all the men Mom had been with after dad were mean, abusive, and addicted. Mitch was the meanest of them all. Don't get me wrong, Dad was far from perfect, but at least he didn't throw my mom around like a rag doll before coming into my room and beating me senseless. Dad at least respected women and human life. I think he just couldn't handle the stress of work and having a kid. Mom once told me that Dad always had dreams of travelling the world; you can't exactly go wherever you want when you're tied down to a woman and a kid who desperately need your paycheck from your stable job. So, he left.

Oh, no, Sprout was asking questions. I slumped down in my seat, hoping she would look over me without asking anything. I hadn't be paying any attention to a single thing she said. She called on somebody else - a Ravenclaw who hadn't spoken much at all, ever - and I let out the breath I had been holding. Needless to say, I was glad when we finally got out of there.

Transfiguration was a breeze. Well, okay, maybe I shouldn't say that. My snail didn't exactly vanish like it was supposed to. Transfiguration wasn't really my subject though. I mean, it was actually really hard to turn something into something else. At least I paid attention to McGonagall, though! I really hoped that I could get the vanishing spell down by the Christmas holidays. Maybe it would come in handy if I had to go home. Oh, shoot. I can't use magic outside of school.

Anyway, I finally got to go to lunch. Before that though, Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to me for some reason. I watched as Lavender Brown rounded up the last of the line of students leaving before gathering my two books in my hands and going up to McGonagall's desk. "Is everything all right?" she asked, genuinely concerned. My eyes widened a little. Did Dumbledore tell her what had happened?

"Uh, yeah… What do you mean?" I said nervously.

"I heard you missed the train yesterday, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Oh. Oh, yeah. I'm fine, Professor McGonagall," I lied through my teeth. I was glad that Dumbledore hadn't broken my confidence. The professor seemed to know that I was lying, though. She was eyeing me warily; as though she wanted to draw my secrets out of me. Not gonna happen, lady. "May I go now?"

McGonagall nodded at me solemnly. I could tell she wanted to keep me there longer. Angelique Mikaela Rivera didn't say a word she didn't wish to speak to a single soul she didn't want to know. I left the Transfiguration classroom in a rush, cheeks flushed darkly.

Susan grabbed my arm upon my entrance to the Great Hall; otherwise, I would have hurried right passed her. She looked at me, her eyes asking me why I was running. "Did you fall asleep in Transfiguration or something?"

"No, I…" Great. Now I had to think up another lie to tell my best friend. I hated this so much. One lie always led to another until an entire web had formed. "I didn't want to miss the good food," I said with a small, nervous smile.

"Well, you didn't need to run," Susan laughed.

"McGonagall stopped me - wanted to ask if I was all right. I wasn't sure that I'd make it in time." Well, at least that one was a half-truth. I sat down beside my best friend and shoveled food onto my plate, even though my appetite was completely gone. Just looking at the food made me feel as though I might vomit. "I'll be right back," I said softly, pushing away from the table.

Susan turned, and I could feel her eyes on me as I walked out of the Great Hall. She might have called out to me, but all I could hear was the nasty ringing in my ears. I slipped into the nearest bathroom and locked myself in a stall. I listened closely, just to make sure no one else was in there. When I didn't hear anyone, I slumped down on the toilet, holding my head in my hands.

Tears leaked out of my eyes. I tried to keep my breathing steady but with each attempt to even it out, it only grew more ragged. I didn't know what to do. I was lying to teachers. I was lying to my best friend. I wanted to tell them all the truth, but they'd treat me differently if they knew. I let out a strained gasp for air as mucus started to plug up my nose from all the crying. I couldn't do this. I couldn't keep lying to everybody…

I had to keep my secret safe. Just a couple years and I would be of age. I could leave and start a nice, new life for myself. I could leave behind my mother's addictions and trivial pursuits for true love. Her marriage to Mitch was already failing, anyway. I supposed the only reason she hadn't gone out to get the divorce papers yet was because she was always too hopped up on whatever she was self-medicated with each day she thought to do it. The only reason she needed to self-medicate at all was him. He was the most important thing I needed to leave behind.

I needed to get away from Mitch before the situation got any worse. I pulled my feet up to the outer rim of the toilet bowl, clutching my knees to my chest as the tears came harder. I didn't even know what Mitch would do to me. I sniveled and rubbed my eyes incessantly on my knees, but the tears would not stop now. I grabbed a small handful of toilet paper and blew my nose.

"Hello?"

I froze up, trying to hold in the pent up shudder of a breath that threatened to release itself in response to the voice that sounded nearer to the entrance of the bathroom than to me. I heard footsteps coming closer.

"Hello? Is there somebody in here?" I recognized that voice, but from where? I couldn't quite place it. I tried to think about it, but that breath let itself out. The footsteps stepped closer and closer, finally stopping in front of my door. "Are you all right in there?"

"Go away," I said weakly. I didn't want anyone to see me like this. If I did, I was not completely sure that I wouldn't let the details of my home situation slip.

"Are you sure you want me to do that?" The voice asked meekly. Where had I heard her voice before? It sounded so familiar - yet, it was too indistinct for me to put a face to it. I wished whomever it was would just leave me be, though. I did not want to deal with another person at the moment. I probably looked like rubbish.

"Yes," I choked on the word, "More than anything. I'm fine!"

I watched the girl shift her weight, but I guess she decided it would be best to leave me alone. She turned and, a few moments later, I heard the heavy bathroom door shut. I took a few more moments to compose myself, and was just unlocking the stall door to emerge when I heard the outer door swing open once more.

"I heard there was somebody crying in here," a shrill voice said loudly. That voice I recognized immediately: Pansy Parkinson. Who in the hell had told Pansy Parkinson that I was crying in the bathroom? I jumped when I heard stall doors being shoved open so fast that they banged harshly against the walls. I fumbled with the lock to my door, but couldn't get to it fast enough. I jumped back just in time to narrowly avoid having the side of my head smashed between the door and the wall. "Oh, if it isn't the Hufflepuff mudblood!"

Pansy cackled maniacally and stood so that it would be nearly impossible to get passed her. Behind her - on either side - stood Millicent Bulstrode, and another Slytherin girl I didn't recognize. "Shove off, Parkinson," I said angrily. This was not happening. Not right now. Not at all.

"You didn't pay properly for knocking me down earlier," Pansy said, tilting her head slightly as she cast a dark grin at me. She folded her arms over her chest. "But I think this will do nicely. Wait 'til I tell the whole castle about ickle Rivera_ CRYING_ in the bathroom on the very first day of classes," Parkinson mocked me. I clenched my fists. She is such a bitch. "Can't handle the pressure, mudblood? You should have stay with that filthy muggle family of yours. You don't bloody belong at Hogwarts anyway."

"Shut up!" I yelled. I felt the heat in my face as it turned beet-red with anger. She just couldn't leave me alone, could she? She couldn't leave anyone alone. Pansy thrived on the pain of others.

"Oh, did I hurt the ickle Hufflepuff's feelings?" Pansy smirked. Oh, how I would have loved to flatten her pug nose even more. I didn't want to risk getting expelled, though.

I let out a slow breath, closing my eyes in order to regain control of myself. I wasn't about to satisfy her any further. "_Shove off_," I said again. What else could I say without lowering myself to her level? I tried to push passed her, but she shoved me back into the stall.

"What? Mummy doesn't love you enough so you have to cry at school about it?" She took another jab at me; this time, I'd make her eat her words. I pulled my fist back and, without thinking twice about it, punched her square in the face. I heard a crunch, but Pansy only gasped. As I pulled my hand away and shook it out, I saw tears welling up in her eyes. Blood was rushing down her face. "BLOODY MUDBLOOD!" She shrieked. She lunged for me, but Millicent and the other girl grabbed her arms. Their faces conveyed the utter horror at the fact that I had just broken Pansy's nose. "LET GO OF ME!"

"We have to take you to the hospital wing, Pansy!" the girl I didn't recognize squealed in a panic. "Worry about her later!"

Pansy struggled against the girls, but they managed to pull her out of the bathroom. I flexed my fingers a few times - breaking someone's nose really hurt. In fact, my one finger did not seem to want to move the right way, but I shrugged it off. Maybe I just hit her face a weird way and stubbed it or something. When I walked out of the bathroom, Susan ran at me, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, bugger, Angelique! Are you all right? I heard Pansy screaming about some Hufflepuff punching her and I didn't know where you were! Did she hurt you?"

"No," I answered softly. I glared at the stairs, noticing little droplets of blood here and there. Damn, I really got her good.

"Why'd you punch her, if she didn't hurt you?"

"You didn't hear the things she said to me, Suz. I don't know, I just got so angry…" I sighed. That wasn't an excuse - or, at least, it wasn't an excuse that was going to get me any points with Dumbledore or Professor Sprout. "I couldn't let her keep talking to me like that."

Susan gave me a sad look and shook her head a little. "What did she say?"

I clenched my jaw and shook my head. "I better go up there and apologize."

"Why apologize?"

"If I don't, I'm more likely to get expelled. I'd rather not have to leave here _and_ have my wand snapped in half," I sighed and headed for the stairs. First, Susan stopped me.

Still standing a few feet away, she called out, "Are you sure you want to go alone?"

"Yeah, Suz, I'll be -" I froze as Professor Sprout came up behind Susan.

"I heard one of my students sent another to the Hospital Wing," Professor Sprout said, looking up at me. I gulped and nodded slowly.

"I was just heading upstairs to apologize to her," I said, staying as strong as I could despite the trembling in my hands. I really didn't want to be expelled. The professor looked at Susan - she knew we were close.

Susan nodded before Sprout even had to ask. "It's true Professor. I was going to go with her, but -"

"I'll go with her, Miss Bones. You may return to lunch." Susan did as she was told and I stood there, shaking as Professor Sprout walked up to me. She put a gentle hand on my shoulder as we went up to the Hospital Wing. When we were a couple floors away, she finally asked, "Why did you break Miss Parkinson's nose?"

Tears started to leak out of my eyes as I whispered, "She called me a mudblood." I let out a shuddering breath and, before the professor could say anything, added, "She told me I don't belong at Hogwarts." I left out the part about my mother, even though that was what had made me snap. If Dumbledore asked, I would tell him - but only him, and in the strictest of confidences.

When we reached Pansy in the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore was already standing there, waiting. I walked up to Pansy's bed. The blood was already cleaned up and her nose was bandaged up, probably because Madam Pomfrey hadn't had a chance to mend it completely yet. I heard she could mend bones rather easily, though, so I wasn't too worried about the Slytherin. She'd deserved the broken nose.

Professor Sprout pulled the headmaster a few paces away from us. I caught him bending down to her so she could whisper to him from the corner of my eye. I turned to Pansy, who was pouting (probably because Dumbledore wasn't giving her his attention anymore), and sighed. Well, here goes nothing. "I'm sorry for breaking your nose, Pansy."

"I WANT HER EXPELLED!" Pansy shrieked loudly.

"Miss Parkinson, is it true that you told Miss Rivera that she did not belong at our school?" Professor Dumbledore asked evenly. It was amazing how calm he was all the time.

"Well, yes, but she -"

"I do believe you owe her an apology, Miss Parkinson. She has already apologized to you."

Pansy glared at me, crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly. I wasn't afraid of being expelled anymore, as it was clear that neither Sprout nor Dumbledore really believed I was at fault - it was a crime of passion - but my hands were still shaking. I was more afraid of Pansy's wrath. She was never going to forgive me for this. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice dipped in venom.

"I accept your apology, Pansy," I replied politely.

"Did you accept Miss Rivera's apology, Miss Parkinson?" Professor Sprout pressed.

"She broke my nose!" Professor Sprout merely gave Pansy this look that scared even me, and she grumbled that she accepted. I nodded gently.

"Two weeks detention, and ten points from both houses," Professor Sprout said to me. "Pansy's discipline is up to Professor Snape. I expect to see you in my office after classes this afternoon, Miss Rivera. Go back to lunch."

I nodded and hurried out of the Hospital Wing before anybody could change their mind.


	4. Something More

I hid out in the dormitories instead of going back to lunch. Susan must have stopped by before heading out with Hannah again, because my Transfiguration and Herbology books were sitting on my bed with a little note. I grabbed the small piece of parchment and read it. _Let me know what's going on, ASAP. -Susan_

I sighed and slipped the note into the front cover of _Intermediate Transfiguration._ I sat on my bed and wiped my hand down my face. I needed to look over what we would be learning in class. I decided to look over the Herbology work for the term first - as I always seemed to be behind in Herbology, despite being a Hufflepuff. I hated that my housemates excelled in Sprout's class, when I could hardly stay awake.

I grabbed my books and stalked back to the common room, where Professor Sprout kept the plants. Maybe if I spent some time with the plants, I would be able to understand them better. I sat on the floor, next to one plant in particular. I searched through my book, trying to find the plant in it, and learning everything I could about it in the half hour I had left of my break.

I was almost late to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but luckily slipped in quietly with thirty seconds to spare. That didn't stop Professor Toad-bridge from glaring at me. Oh, yeah, did I mention she looked like a toad? A nasty one, too. An apparently sassy part of me wanted to glare back at her, but I didn't dare – I didn't want to end up with more detention. I jumped a bit as the professor walked down the aisle, dropping a book in front of me.

I opened the cover of the book as Umbridge went on about magical theory rather than magical practice. I groaned with my classmates about that. I think we always got the short end of the stick when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Quirrell stuttered all the time so I could barely keep up with his notes; Lockhart was so self-absorbed that we learned more about him than about the dark and devious things he supposedly took care of; Lupin… well, I liked Lupin very much, actually, but he wasn't always around and we were left with Snape too often; and then there was Moody – or that Barty Crouch Junior guy pretending to be Moody – but either way, he was pretty interesting. And even out of all those, I had a nagging feeling that Umbridge was going to be the worst of them all.

I looked up as Umbridge finished talking and let out this weird little noise. I couldn't tell if she was laughing or clearing her throat or what, but that little, obnoxious squeak unnerved me. It literally sent a shiver down my spine. An overwhelming sense of dread filled me, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Yet, the only thing I could think was, _How could anyone bear to wear so much pink?_

I watched her while she spoke, but I really couldn't process the words she was saying. I don't know if she continued on about O.W.L.s or what. However, about halfway through the class I noticed a couple of Ravenclaws snickering and passing a note back and forth. The paper flitted underneath the tables as it went from one boy to another.

Umbridge got real tense when she noticed it. She was like a cat ready to pounce. The entire room went silent – all anybody could hear was the echo of the professor's shoes clicking against the stone. As soon as she went to reach for the piece of parchment, it burned up. That must have really pissed her off. I couldn't see the look she gave the Ravenclaw boy she was standing in front of, but he shuddered and looked away. That squeaky little voice uttered one word: "Detention."

The rest of class, no one dared make a sound. Umbridge was frightening enough to make a mountain troll keep still as stone. As soon as we were dismissed, I gathered the book from which she intended to teach us into my arms and moved with the crowd of Ravenclaws and fellow Hufflepuffs to get the hell out of that classroom.

I ducked into the dungeons as quick as I could, but I was far from the first person in the Potions classroom. Susan had saved me a seat right next to her; unfortunately, Draco was sitting on the end of the table directly across the aisle from ours. Pansy was sitting next to him. When I sat down beside Suzy, I caught her glaring and whispering something that I assumed was exceptionally nasty in Draco's ear. The blond looked over at me and stared for a moment before his lips twitched into a grin.

I eyed the Slytherin warily. Was he mocking me? Pansy fiddled with the bandages on her nose. Draco must've stared at me a moment too long for her liking because she yanked on the sleeve of his shirt and snapped nasally, "Why the bloody 'ell are you smilin' at her?"

"I wasn't smiling at her," Draco denied instantly. I noticed his brow slowly raise at her.

"You're bloody lyin'!"

The three of us jumped when Snape slammed a book on his desk, growling out the page number that we were to turn to. He was not a happy man – not that I could blame him. I mean, really, how many times had he tried to get the position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? At least 5, counting this year, but probably loads more. I twisted my hair in my finger nervously, flipping my book open.

Susan touched my arm gently, watching Snape carefully as he turned his back to the class. "What's going on, Ang?"

I took a deep breath and touched the potion ingredients on our table lightly. I really didn't want to talk about it right then and there, but I supposed things could be worse. Besides, Susan was my best friend. She deserved to know. "I have detention with Sprout after this," I whispered as quietly as I could. I didn't need Snape to hear me talking. I really didn't need more detention.

"Just today?"

I grimaced and shook my head. "Two weeks," I murmured and tried not to sigh. What a way to start off the school year: two weeks detention with Professor Sprout for punching perfect pureblood Pansy Parkinson in her ugly pug nose. She deserved it. Susan's lips pulled into a frown and she touched my back lightly.

"That's harsh Ang, but at least they didn't expel you."

"I know. It's because she called me a mudblood and said I didn't belong…" As I was talking, I realized that the room around us had gone almost completely silent. I had been looking at the table – not at Susan – when I started talking. I raised my eyes just a fraction and immediately saw Snape standing over us.

"Is there something you'd like to share, Miss Rivera?"

"N-no, Professor Snape." I swallowed hard and stared up at him nervously. "I'm sorry."

"Five points from Hufflepuff."

My housemates groaned. The Slytherins snickered, and I swear I saw a couple of them high five each other. I bowed my head and sighed. Wow. First day back and I'd already lost fifteen points. I was not going to have an easy time keeping friends this term. I stayed silent the rest of Potions, and I hoped that Susan understood. I think she did.

At the end of class, she offered to walked me to the greenhouses. "No," I said simply, folding my arms over my book. "Just go back to the common room. I'll see you in an hour or so."

As I slipped away from the other Hufflepuffs and through the Entrance Hall, towards the doors, I heard footsteps behind me. Of course there were others walking through the hall, so even though these steps sounded different from them, I brushed them off for as long as I could. When I was finally outside, someone grabbed my arm. I jumped, my heart pounding in my chest.

My eyes narrowed when they met a pair of cold gray ones. "Malfoy," I breathed softly, yanking my arm out of his grasp. "What do you want?"

"So, you really punched Pansy in the face?" he said, grinning a little. I would have thought that he'd be as upset with me as she was, but I guess I was wrong. What was their relationship anyway?

"Yes, I did. She's a proper rotter." I watched Draco carefully, taking a step away from him. "Why do you care, anyway? You agree with her, don't you?"

"Well, I don't know what she said," he replied, quirking a brow. I didn't think that could possibly be true until I thought about it a minute. Pansy probably would have told everyone that she didn't do a thing to me, so that I would look like the bad guy.

"' You should have stayed with that filthy muggle family of yours. You don't bloody belong at Hogwarts anyway,'" I mocked Pansy's voice, adding in a sort of nasally effect to make fun of her nose being broken. Draco pursed his lips, not saying anything. "That's what I thought," I snapped and started walking towards the greenhouses. I didn't want to talk to someone who thought I was the scum of the earth.

"Wait!" Draco called out behind me. I didn't turn around. As much as that voice made me want to look back, and as much as I wanted to just stared at his beautiful face, I refused to turn around. "Rivera!" he said as he grabbed my arm again.

I whipped around and pulled my arm from his grip so fast that pain shot through it. I winced and growled out, "Do you even know my bloody name, Draco?"

He blinked at me in shock, I think because I had my teeth clenched in an attempt to keep from screaming. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," I lied. It wasn't really Draco who had hurt me anyway. Stupid Mitch. "Are you going to answer my question, or just stand there with that stupid look on your face?"

"Your name's Rivera. I just said it."

"No, my first name." _Right foul git._ I tilted my head to the side as I noticed a pinkish color darken his pale cheeks. Was he blushing? He didn't say anything. He didn't know. "It's Angelique," I spat. "Don't pretend you care about me or anything I do. It's an insult."

I started to walk again, and this time I didn't hear his voice. That didn't stop him from grabbing me again, though. "Will you stop touching me?" I shrieked as loud as I thought I could manage without actually getting someone else's attention.

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Draco said, retracting his hand fast and curling his fingers into his palm. "Look, I just thought it was neat that you stood up to her like that. Nobody's ever given Pansy a taste of her own medicine. She's never alone long enough for anyone to get up the nerve."

"Kind of like you," I said, staring the Slytherin dead in the eyes. His entire expression darkened. I knew I had hit a nerve. "Where're your little minions, anyway?"

Draco tilted his head, looking down at me with this totally new expression on his face. It was almost void of emotion. Almost. There were traces of disappointment amongst the hard, cold wall in his eyes. "I just wanted to talk to you," he said slowly. "I thought… Well, nevermind what I thought. I was wrong, clearly." He turned on his heel and started back towards the castle.

I stared after Draco, at a loss for words. What had he thought about me? Was I somehow more to him than some mudblood Hufflepuff? I couldn't be, could I? He didn't even know my name! He was being raised by Lucius Malfoy – a Death Eater! Or so I've heard. I wouldn't put it passed the man, though. I've met Lucius in passing and he was not a very kind man. He always seemed to be vying for attention and superiority while at the same time believing he was already superior to the general population. Maybe I was wrong, but that's just the vibes I would get off of him.

Malfoy's words really shouldn't have dug into me the way that they did, but it didn't seem like I could control the way he was making me feel. It hurt. It hurt really bad to know that someone like Draco had looked at me like that. He thought he was wrong about whatever he thought about me, and I had this feeling that his thoughts were nice ones. I didn't think Draco was capable of that. After all, I was still muggle born. That was something that would never, ever change.

I sighed and looked down at my feet, turning to continue on my way to the greenhouses. I couldn't get his face out of my head. He had seemed so happy to see me, and I had just shot him down like he was being a tosser when he was just being nice. I rubbed at my arm where it stung the worst, but the ache did not want to be soothed. A part of me felt I deserved it after how I'd treated the Slytherin. He had looked so… defeated, when he walked away.

What was I becoming?


	5. Undeserved Dentention With Ponoma Sprout

I ducked my head down as I made my way to the greenhouses, suddenly ashamed of myself. The way Malfoy had looked at me before he walked away was driving me insane. It was like he thought he was reaching out to touch a unicorn, but it turned out to be a Hungarian Horntail.

"Ahh, Miss Rivera," Professor Sprout said cheerily when I slipped into the greenhouse. "Have a seat."

I raised my eyes to my head of house carefully. She didn't seem too angry about the fact that I had broken Pansy's nose. "You remember the Bubotubers, Miss Rivera?"

I groaned and gave Sprout a look that said you-have-got-to-be-kidding-me. She only laughed. "Yes, Professor," I muttered. "Don't you remember how terrible I was with them last term?" Professor Sprout merely gave me a smile.

"We don't get to choose our punishment," she said and set a bunch of bottles full of Bubotuber pus down in front of me.

"Ah, bloody…" I hesitated, my eyes widening slowly. "Uh, blimey," I muttered. "What do you want me to do with those?"

"Take them to Madam Pomfrey."

"That's… that's it?" Professor Sprout gave me a little grin and turned her back towards me.

"If it doesn't quite take an hour, I'm sure I can think up something else for you to do, Miss Rivera."

I blinked and blushed, gathering the bottles up in my arms. "That's all right, Professor Sprout," I said. I bit my lip lightly. Was she giving me permission to dawdle? I turned towards the doors to the greenhouse, careful not to drop any of the bottles.

"Oh, Miss Rivera."

I looked over my shoulder and cocked a brow. "Yes, Professor Sprout?"

"If, by the time you come here for detention tomorrow, you can tell me something useful about the Venomous Tentacula's seeds, I'll give Hufflepuff some house points to make up for the ones you've lost."

"What?" I stared at Sprout for a long moment. Venomous Tentacula? "But… We haven't learned about that one yet, have we?"

"That's the point, Miss Rivera," the professor said with a smile.

I didn't wait for Professor Sprout to turn her back to me before exiting the greenhouse with the bottles of Bubotuber pus. I was not totally sure what Sprout was trying to get at with the Venomous Tentacula deal, but I supposed it would be worth a shot to try and figure it out in order to redeem myself. I really had started this term off badly.

I made my way back to the castle, a little confused when the temperature dropped suddenly. Come to think of it, it was getting really dark, too. I had an uneasy feeling in my gut and, honestly, I knew better than to go against my intuition. I jogged towards the castle doors and slipped inside as quickly as I could manage. Something strange was going on out there.

I blew out a breath and shook off the feeling. Maybe I was just overreacting. It _was_ getting kind of late, anyway. I hurried up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. Shifting the bottles in my arms, I poked my head into the room. "Madam Pomfrey?"

The woman was nowhere to be found, so I stepped inside. I walked through the rows of beds, eyes sweeping the room for any sign of the school matron. "Madam Pomfrey?" I called out again, "I have some Bubotuber pus… from Professor Sprout?" Finally, Madam Pomfrey stuck her head out from her office.

"Yes, dear?" she said, seeming rushed.

"The Bubotuber pus?" I said slowly, not sure what else I could say. I took a few steps towards her and held the bottles out.

"Ah, just put them right over there," Madam Pomfrey said, gesturing to a shelf that contained all sorts of remedies for all sorts of ailments, I imagined. "Thank you, Miss Rivera," she said as I put the bottles down.

I looked back at her and bit my lip. Something seemed amiss. "Is everything all right, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Yes, yes, don't worry your pretty little head about it," she said dismissively. She patted my back lightly, as though urging me out. Something was certainly wrong. I left, though, like she wanted. I really did not need any more problems so early in the year.

I dawdled and wandered my way down to the Hufflepuff common room, rubbing my arms idly. I still felt a little cold, although it wasn't so bad as it was outside. I hadn't really been paying attention to just where I was wandering until, about a floor from my destination, I heard a shrill, squeaky voice: "Just what do you think you are doing, wandering about?"

_Just that,_ I thought lazily. Toad-bridge sure brought out the sass in me. I turned to face her and clasped my hands in front of my belly. "I was just returning to my dormit'ry after detention," I said simply. It wasn't a lie. Not even a half-truth, in fact. I was simply taking my time getting back.

"Well, move a long," she shrilled nastily. I pursed my lips to keep my comments to myself. I gave Professor Umbridge a curt nod and descended the stairs to the Entrance Hall and, of course, Hufflepuff common room.

I paused for a moment before going inside, peering across the hall towards the entrance to the dungeons. Malfoy appeared, by himself, and looked around. He scowled when he saw me. Then, he started for the stairs. "Uh, beware of Toad-bridge," I spewed out before I could stop myself. Word vomit, what can I say?

Draco froze and turned towards me. The look on his flawless face was one of utter confusion and slight disdain. "Pardon?"

I shut my eyes and inwardly cursed my mouth. "Umbridge, y'know, not-so-pretty-in-pink? Yeah, she's, uh, she's upstairs." The Slytherin just kind of stared at me for several long minutes, as though he didn't understand how he should respond to something like that. And then, he snickered.

"You ought not to let her hear that," he warned.

"I've already gotten in more trouble than I can handle this term, Malfoy," I muttered, "I'm sure I can deal with Her Toadliness."

"I'm so sure… Angelique," he said. I couldn't tell if it was a smirk or a smile pulling at his lips, but I was glad that he didn't look as disappointed as he had earlier.

"Huh," I said in a short breath. He started to walk back down the stairs. No, he started to walk towards me.

"What?"

"You remembered my name," I teased. I settled on his expression being a smirk, since I hadn't once seen Malfoy smile, and figured I could give him one right back. So that's what I did. His eyebrow shot up.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Aren't you afraid of what Miss Prissy Parkinson will think?"

"She isn't my keeper," he responded coolly. Uh oh, was I losing him?

"Sorry," I muttered.

"You really did a number on her nose," he added, looking away, "Madam Pomfrey mended it in a minute, but she thinks the bandages will gain her sympathy."

"She's a proper rotter," I snorted. Draco snickered and shook his head.

"She's may be, but now she's got it out for you."

"She already did."

"No, she really does, now. And it's only going to get worse."

"Why?" I asked, suddenly extremely interested in why the hell it was only going to get worse. Draco finally looked at me. At first, he looked pretty stoic - cold, even – but that was normal for him. And then he smirked at me slowly, as if he weren't sure that was the face he wanted to make.

"You'll see," he said.

"Tell me," I pushed out my lower lip absent-mindedly. Draco blinked, clearly surprised by this. I continued to pout at him and crossed my arms. Malfoy drew his brows together.

"Let me put it this way," he said. He took a step back. That worried me. "You'll be seeing more of me, whether you like it or not."

As he started to walk away from me, I tensed up, "Wait!" He turned back towards me, his head cocked to the side in question. "What did you think of me?" The Slytherin let out a short breath in a laugh and shook his head. He left me standing in the Entrance Hall without an answer.


	6. Two Weeks and a Storage Closet Later

The following two weeks were pretty monotonous. I went to class with Susan and Hannah every single day. During my breaks, I would stop by the library if I had a chance and try to find out something I thought was useful about the Venomous Tentacula's seeds. Snape sure liked to hand out those essays, though. I was grateful that Sprout continued to renew the opportunity for those house points. She must have really wanted to see my redemption. Then, almost every night when I was returning to the common room, I would catch Draco sneaking out of the dungeon. We would exchange a few words – mainly me asking a question that he wouldn't answer – and then go our separate ways. The deadly snake known as Parkinson steered clear of me that entire time. I was smart enough to assume she was merely waiting to strike. Slowly but surely, the nights grew colder and darker; in fact, they grew much colder and darker than I knew they could be. And then, on the very last day of my sentence, things changed.

During my lunch break, I found the only bit of information on the Tentacula seed that I thought was useful. I actually found it not in the library, but in the area of the common room where Sprout kept the plants. She had bunches of seeds laid out near the plants, all without their labels. I recognized the Venomous Tentacula's seeds as soon as I saw them, thanks to photographs from my research. I picked them up, holding them in my hands. I turned them over and over again. I stared. I sniffed. I listened. A delighted grin broke out on my face. Sprout was going to be so proud. Or, I hoped she would be. She basically handed me the answer.

I had the urge to run out of the castle and to the greenhouses straight away, but I knew it would be better for me to wait until detention that night. Instead, I emerged from the common room earlier than usual. All my work was caught up, so I decided to take a walk around the grounds. I sauntered through the Entrance Hall, humming to myself. The second I closed my eyes, I felt someone shove me. Now, my bruises were almost completely healed but the memory was still fresh; the feeling scared me more than it hurt.

My eyes shot open wide, and when I opened my mouth to scream for help, a hand clapped over it. "Angelique," Draco hissed softly, "It's only me."

I looked around quickly, trying to back up. We were in a storage closet, of all things. "Bloody hell," I growled, shoving Malfoy's hands away and hugging myself protectively. "Don't you fucking do that to me _ever_."

"Sorry," he said, clearly confused. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't," I lied through clenched teeth. "I just don't like being touched like that. If I wanted you to touch me, you'd know it."

Both Draco's brows raised and I immediately knew that he had taken that absolutely the wrong way. "You're a bloody pervert," I snapped and pursed my lips. The blond reached out slowly and touched my arm. I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

"I'm not, I swear," he said. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"In a bloody closet?"

"It's the middle of the day."

I narrowed my eyes sharply and snapped. "Can't be seen talking to a Hufflepuff, let alone a mudblood?"

"No, that's not it, it's…" he hesitated, wiping his hand down his face. Was I stressing him out? "Just calm down, Angelique," he said as he looked at me seriously. "It's better for you if certain people don't see us getting too friendly."

I snorted and crossed my arms. I blew out a breath; it was mostly to humor him, but it actually did calm me down at little bit. "What the bloody hell do you want?" I murmured, trying to drive all thought of Mitch out of my mind. I leaned up against a narrow table.

Malfoy slid his hand down my arm to my hand. He wrapped his fingers around mine, staying silent until I look him in the eyes. "You intrigue me, Angelique," he declared. I did not understand why that was his all-important statement that had to be said in the privacy of a storage closet in the middle of a school day.

"So?" I prompted.

Draco sucked in his lip a little. I tilted my head and furrowed my brow. What was he doing? It looked like he was debating whether or not he should say something. Suddenly, his lips were on mine. My eyes widened slowly. I stared at his, though they were shut. I didn't push him away; it seemed I was frozen in time. When he finally broke the kiss, I shouted, "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT?!"

Draco chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair. "That was a kiss, Rivera," he said in an almost chant.

"Why the bloody hell did you kiss me?!" I growl, despite lowering my voice slightly. I knew what I kiss was, and he knew bloody well what I was talking about.

"Because, you intrigue me."

I smacked my forehead with my palm and stalked around in a tight circle in that tiny, shared space. "Is that supposed to be Pansy's vengeance?" I snapped. "Did she put you up to messing with my head, my… my, my heart?" I stammered. The words were just pouring out and I didn't know how to stop them. "If that's what this is about, you know, you're just, you're a right foul git!" I curled my fingers into my palms tightly, glaring at him. He looked dumbfounded.

"What are you talking about?" He tilted his head and swallowed softly, looking me up at down.

"Wha… were you… that was… Did you really just kiss me?" Draco nodded. "Why?"

"I already told you why. What's wrong with you?"

"Do you kiss every girl who 'intrigues' you?" I was suddenly feeling more defensive. If this wasn't some game Pansy wanted Draco to play with my head, I didn't want him playing me like some toy or something.

"No, damn it, Angel!" I froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"W-what did you call me?"

"Angel," he answered simply. "Isn't that a nickname for Angelique?"

I nodded weakly. I was getting dizzy. Mom called me Angel, but that was a long, long time ago. I couldn't even remember how the love in her voice had sounded back then. She used to sit with me and stroke my hair as she whispered, "I love you, Angel," and, "Good night, Angel," and, "We'll be okay, Angel." That was long before Mitch. Long before the others, too.

"Are you okay?"

"No," I whispered and looked around for a second. There weren't any chairs. Nobody called me Angel. Nobody but my old mother. I sat down on the floor slowly.

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting."

"On the floor?"

"Do you see a chair?" Draco blinked and shook his head. He breathed in slowly before deciding to sit down beside me.

"Do you not want me to call you that either?" I turned my head and looked at Draco. I mean, I really looked at the boy. There was worry in those gray eyes and in the creases in his forehead. Had I made those? Just now? I bit my lip hard. He'd really called me Angel. Why? Why not just Angelique, or Rivera? Why Angel? His hair looked so soft that I had the impulse to run my fingers through it. Stupid hormones. I shook my head slowly.

"No, it's okay," I said softly. "Nobody's called me that in a really long time," I explained when he quirked a brow in question. Draco nodded and put his hands in his lap. I stared at him a little longer before reaching out and taking both his hands in mine. He gave me that look of confusion again, but he stayed silent. "So… that was real?"

"Yeah, I, uh…"

"I intrigue you, I get it," I said and gave him a weak smile. "Don't like talking about your feelings?"

"Not really," he laughed softly.

"Me either," I said. Then, I did something that shocked even me. I leaned forward, shut my eyes, and I kissed him the way he had just kissed me. When I wasn't thinking about it, it was actually kind of nice. His lips were softer than I imagined – warmer, too. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his hands snake their way around my waist.

We broke the kiss to breathe. Draco settled his forehead against mine. Just the scent of him was comforting, even though I probably wouldn't admit it, if asked. He smirked mischievously. "I intrigue you, too?"

"Something like that," I mumbled and returned his smirk.


End file.
